Adjustable rod holder



June 26, 1962 J. w. DUNN ADJUSTABLE ROD HOLDER Filed June 24, 1960 INVENTOR. 6 14/ Dwwv 5 I47- rae/v? rs United States Patent Oil 3,040,902 Patented June 26, 1962 3,040,902 ADJUSTABLE ROD HOLDER John W. Dunn, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Ca] Alloy Castings, Inc., Monterey Park, Califi, a corporation of California Filed June 24, 1960, Ser. No. 38,659 4 Claims. (Cl. 211-1054) This invention relates to adjustable rod holders, more particularly to holders for shower rods or clothes rods. Included in the objects of this invention are:

First, to provide an adjustable rod holder which does not require screws or other fastening means which must be driven into the supporting wall; the rod holder having friction pads and means for axial extension so that the pads are forced tightly against opposite walls to hold the rod in position.

Second, to provide an adjustable rod holder which fits externally over the ends of the rod to cover any rough or ragged ends, and which incorporates rudimentaryinternal ribs which assure a friction fit of the holder components over opposite ends of the rod.

Third, to provide an adjustable rod holder wherein each end component, by its friction fit on the rod, stays in place during the installation of the rod so that installation is easily accomplished even by an inexperienced person.

Fourth, to provide an adjustable rod holder wherein one component incorporates a novel adjustment means so arranged that shower curtain rings may slide thereover with a minimum tendency to catch or hang up, irrespective of whether the holder component is extended or retracted.

With the above and other objects in view, as may appear hereinafter, reference is directed to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary, side, elevational view of a rod showing the end components of the holder in psition thereon as they appear when the rod is installed between two opposing walls;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken through 22 of FIGURE 1 showing the fixed end component of the holder;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary, sectional view taken through 3 -3 of FIGURE 1, showing the adjustable end component of the holder and adjacent portion of the rod;

FIGURE 4 is a base end view of the fixed end component with the pad shown fragmentarily;

FIGURE 5 is a view of the opposite end of the fixed end component;

FIGURE 6 is an end view of the adjustment ferrule forming a part of the adjustable end component;

FIGURE 7 is a view of the opposite end of the adjustment ferrule.

The adjustable rod holder includes a fixed end component 1 and an adjustable end component 2. The end components are provided with flanged base escutcheons 3 and 4 which are recessed to accommodate identical pads 5. The pads are preferably formed of rubber or other elastomer and have on one side an annular groove which accommodates a ring of arcuate lugs 6.

Extending from the base escutcheon 4 of the adjustable end component 2 is a tubular sleeve 7 having internal screw-threads 8. A tubular ferrule or outer sleeve 9 is adapted to telescope over the sleeve 7. At its midportion the ferrule 9 is provided with an internal centrally perforated partition 10. A tubular stem 11 is provided with a reduced end 12 which is adapted to be force fitted in the central perforation of the partition 10. The stem 11 is provided with a screw-threaded portion 13 which screw-threads into the inner sleeve 7 so as to effect axial adjustment of the ferrule on the sleeve 7.

The opposite or extended end of the ferrule 9 terminates in a stepped socket forming two concentric cylindrical portions 14 and 15. The larger or outer cylindrical portion 14 is adapted to receive a tubular rod 16; whereas, the inner or smaller cylindrical portion 15 receives a tubular rod (not shown) of smaller diameter.

The base escutcheon 3 of the fixed end component 1 is provided with an integral sleeve 17 which forms internally a stepped socket having two concentric cylindrical portions 14 and 15 identical to those in the extended end of the ferrule 9.

Each of the cylindrical portions 14 and 15 are provided with three rudimentary longitudinal ribs 18. When a rod 16 is forced into its corresponding socket, the ribs distort the rod slightly to provide a firm friction fit. Thus each end component tends to remain in place on the rod.

Installation of a rod utilizing the adjustable rod holder is as follows:

The fixed end component 1 is fitted on one end of the rod 16, after the rod has been cut approximately to length. The adjustable end component is adjusted to its minimum length and fitted over the other end of the rod. The rod is then placed between the walls from which it is to be supported, and with the base escutcheon 4 of the adjustable end component held against the wall the ferrule 9 is turned; or, conversely, the ferrule may be held and the escutcheon 4 turned until the pads 5 bear firmly against the opposing walls.

It will be observed that in manipulating the rod with the end components thereon, there is little danger of the end components slipping ed the rod because of the provision of the internal ribs 18.

It will also be observed that the ferrule 9 and sleeve 17, particularly when accommodatting a rod of maximum diameter, fit snugly thereover so that curtain rings may slide readily thereover. Also, the ferrule 9 fits snugly over the sleeve 7 That is, the sleeve 7 is slightly smaller in diameter than the ferrule 9, so that should a curtain ring slide onto the sleeve 7 it may *be readily slipped back onto the rod.

It will also be observed that the internal ribs 18 may be omitted from the ferrule 9 to permit rotation of the ferrule on the rod during installation.

While a particular embodiment of this invention has been shown and described, it is not intended to limit the same to the exact details of the construction set forth, and it embraces such changes, modifications, and equivalents of the parts and their formation and arrangement as come within the purview of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An adjustable rod holder, comprising: a pair of escutcheon bases; holder means extending from each base terminating in a stepped socket to form internal cylindrical portions of dilferent diameters to accommodate opposite ends of rods of different diameters; and axial adjustment means interposed between at least one of said holder means and its base; said adjustment means including an outer tubular sleeve, an externally screwthreaded stem within and covered by said outer sleeve, and an internally screw-threaded inner sleeve adapted to fit within said outer sleeve and screw-thread over said stem.

2. An adjustable rod holder, comprising: a pair of escutcheon bases; holder means extending from each base terminating in a stepped socket to form internal cylindrical portions of different diameters to accommodate opposite ends of rods of different diameters; each step of said sockets having rudimentary axially extending ribs for effecting slight distortion of the walls of rods thrust in said sockets; and axial adjustment means interposed between at least one of said holder means and its base; said adjustment means including an outer tubular sleeve, an externally screw-threaded stern within and covered by said outer sleeve, and an internally screw-threaded inner sleeve adapted to fit Within said outer sleeve and screw-thread over said stem.

3. An adjustable rod holder, comprising: an escutcheon base having a flanged end and an internally screwthreaded tubular sleeve; an externally screw-threaded tubular stern screw-threaded within said tubular sleeve, and having a reduced attachment end; a tubular ferrule having an internal flange intermediate its ends secured to said attachment end, whereby one end of said ferrule completely encloses said tubular stem, said end telescoping over said tubular sleeve, the other end of said ferrule forming a socket to receive a rod.

4. An adjustable holder adapted to be mounted at the end of a thin Wall tubular rod, said holder comprising: an escutcheon base having a flanged end and an internally screw-threaded tubular sleeve; an externally screwthreaded tubular stern screw-threaded within said tubular sleeve, and having a reduced attachment end; a tubular ferrule having an internal flange intermediate its ends secured to said attachment end, whereby one end of said ferrule completely encloses said tubular stem, said end telescoping over said tubular sleeve, the other end of said ferrule being internally stepped to form cylindrical rodreceiving portions of decreasing diameter, each portion having axially extending rudimentary ribs adapted to distort the wall of a thin wall tubular rod to secure said ferrule thereon. 

